Censorship from ancient times to the present

I. Intro: Barbara gave program on this topic and opened the discussion with an overview of censorship from ancient times to the present. This is a vast subject, one that is very interesting, not to say, vital, to me as a librarian that I wanted to add some of my thoughts to the discussion. But the topic is too broad for one or even two sessions. In an attempt at narrowing it down, I decided that I would try to stick mostly to things from my own experience, with reflections on ethical issues as we go along.

II. In constructing my own personal moral universe, I helped myself liberally, am0ng other things, to the wisdom passed down in the ethical culture of librarians of the past. ALA many years ago formulated a Library Bill of Rights.

Pass out copies? It speaks of choosing materials with fairness and balance, not proscribing or removing material because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval or the views of the authors. Section 3 and 4 are more specifically about censorship: " Libraries should challenge censorship in the fulfillment of their responsibility to provide information and enlightenment." And "Libraries should cooperate with all persons and groups concerned with resisting abridgement of free expression and free access to ideas."

I’ve always strongly believed that the First Amendment to the Constitution is of particular importance to me as a reader, as a seeker of knowledge, as a person who wishes for the right to speak without fear of reprisal. When I started seeing libraries from the other side of the charge desk, I began to be very sensitive about this subject in a new way. Now I was the person who was choosing material and putting it out for people to read. I was the one who would have to answer the complaints that might arise. But I was not very worried about challenges, for I blithely believed that I could brilliantly defend my choices. And anyone hearing my brilliant arguments, would simply fall to his knees in wonder! All disagreements would disappear and we would live happily ever after.

But things seldom turn out in real life the way you imagine they will. Have you noticed that?

Story: Mr. Smith and The Love Machine.

I move to another library.

Story: Robert and letter from Kenneth ……. Sent to Robert and passed along to me. This particular would-be censor was a professor at SMU, in his 50’s and married to a woman in her 20’s. One would tend to think that an experienced man of the world had enticed a more innocent girl. One would be wrong. When I got to know them I found that the very opposite was true. The most daring thing Kenneth had ever done was to give up the life of a slightly reclusive bachelor and marry Erika. Nothing about this situation had originated with him. Not the marriage, not the little girl, not the house in the country, and certainly not the letter of complaint he wrote to me. He belonged body and soul to Erika, and it was generally conceded that he wore her footprints across his back. She, it seems, was displeased with an easy picture book that her little girl had brought home from the school library. The story was drawn from middle eastern folklore and told of a hadji who was beset by a djinn. After a simple rising action, where the djinn plays mean tricks on the hadji, our hero thinks of a way to outwit the creature, and we end with a satisfying climax.

Erika did not approve of this. The djinn, she said through Kenneth, was a supernatural, devil-like creature, and not appropriate reading matter for her child or others of that age (about first grade).

At last, my first real confrontation! An opportunity to demolish the arguments of my opponent! But no. My superintendent shrieked with horror! Answer this letter? No No No never in a million years.!! I was horrified in my own turn. Ignore this?! Yes he insisted, ignore it. And this is when he uttered the words that have stayed with me all these years. He said, "Ruth, all we need is for some of these bored housewives to decide to come in here and clean up this dirty library."

I have thought about the premises of this statement a lot. The first is that in every library on earth there is material that someone somewhere is going to object to. Another is that people’s passions can be inflamed over very little. Another is should we avoid useless aggravation is we can or, how much aggravation can we deliberately go and seek? Another is, life has so many conflicts in it, the wise pick their battles. Still another is we live in the real world and have to earn a living for our families…how much are we willing to risk in the cause of righteousness. When you start thinking along those lines, it is easy to start questioning where righteousness rally lies.

But the lesson I really took from this followed some weeks later at a school open house. Kenneth visited the library in the course of the evening and spoke to me very courteously. I responded in kind and brought up the subject of his letter. (I just couldn’t quite let it go in spite of advice to contrary.) I said if he wanted to discuss the matter I’d be happy to talk to him about it. He reacted with almost the same expressions that my superintendent used. No No No!!! No need to discuss it, not at all, just let it go.

I can see now that poor Kenneth saw himself caught between two implacable women, his wife and the dreaded school librarian.

Well, after that first example, I had many other opportunities to ignore similar challenges. Most of the challengers merely wanted someone to listen to their concerns. Once they vented their annoyance or outrage or fear or whatever emotion was upsetting them, they turned away satisfied. All they wanted was someone to murmur sympathetically. They seldom noticed, or perhaps didn’t care, that they did not get anything more than a sympathetic murmur and that I went on my merry way buying books that they didn’t approve of.

This approach won’t work with a person who is really determined.

And the landmark Island Trees case is an example:

In 1976, some members of the Island Trees school district in New York state, went to a conference sponsored by an org called ….. (see Supreme Court cases, highlighted material)

(read from island Trees case.)

Conclusion: